Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’, characterized by its compact, mounding and trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large pale yellow and yellow green-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSURF KIUSA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact freely branching and freely flowering Petunia plants with mounding habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in March, 2007 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name Px1623-02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code name B173-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in March, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since March, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Large pale yellow and yellow green-colored flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have light yellow-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have creamy white-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Petunia are more trailing than and not as upright as plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘Sunpatiki’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,297. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunpatiki’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more trailing than and not as         upright as plants of ‘Sunpatiki’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were broader than plants of         ‘Sunpatiki’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Sunpatiki’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code name Px1623-02, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code name B173-1, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures of             15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at             temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, mounding and trailing plant             habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 17.2 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 44 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 18 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.6 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 143B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A; venation,             close to 138A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.2 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to N144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             usually about 39 flowers developing per plant; flowers face             upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to             four weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering             commences naturally during the spring and plants flower             continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.7 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 4.2 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 4.2 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: About 4.1 cm.             Diameter: About 9.4 mm. Color: Close to N144B; towards the             apex, close to 150C; venation, close to 144C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 2.4 cm. Petal width: About 2.8 cm. Petal shape:             Spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal margin: Entire,             undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:             Pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close             to 2D; venation, close to 151C. Petal, when opening, lower             surface: Close to 150D; venation, close to 150C. Petal,             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 2D; venation, close to             151C. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to 150D;             venation, close to 150D. Throat: Close to 151D. Tube: Close             to 150B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About             1.9 cm. Sepal width: About 4.1 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly             elliptic. Sepal apex: Narrowly obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color:             Developing and fully developed sepals, upper surface: Close             to 143A. Developing and fully developed sepals, lower             surface: Close to 143C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Stamen length: About 1.9 cm to 2.4 cm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2.8 mm by 2.3 mm. Anther             color: Close to 2D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             Close to 6D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 2.3 cm. Style color: Close to 145C. Stigma             shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to             149A. Ovary color: Close to 149A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and             fruit development have not been observed on plants of the             new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’ as illustrated and described. 